Clasp



Oct. 29, 1940.

G. S. HAWIE CLASP Filed March 11, 1940 Guam Patented Oct. 29, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLASP Application March 11, 1940, Serial No.323,447

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to clasps of the type used with suspenders,garment supporters, etc., and more especially to improvements in cl'aspsof the kind disclosed in my Patent 2,141,983, dated 6 December 27, 1938.In that patent I have shown a clasp that may be opened fully when alever is lifted so that the clasp will accommodate materials of variousthicknesses, from the thinnest to the thickest, ordinarily used inclothing or the like. It has been found in practice that when such aclasp is closed on a solid article like a belt or button, the middlelever may bestrained or distorted to such an extent as to cause theclasp to slip afterwards when closed on cloth or other textile fabrics.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to eliminate suchobjection andto provide a clasp which will withstand such strainswithout impairing or destroying its practicability.

A further object is to produce a simple and inexpensive clasp and yetone which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it isdesigned.

The exact nature of the invention together with further objects andadvantages thereof will be apparent from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is aperspective view of my improved clasp shown suspended from a portion ofa suspender and clasping a piece of clothing.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the clasp, partly in elevation,and showing the same in open position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the clasp in closed position, and showngripping the clothing.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the elements from which theclasp is made.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modification.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the back or stationary jaw, 8 themovable jaw or middle piece, 9 the lever, and 10 the yoke of the clasp.All of these parts with the exception of the yoke are preferably made ofthin stamped sheet metal and the movable jaw is somewhat resilient.

In accordance with the present invention, the parts 1 and 9 aresubstantially as shown in my above-mentioned patent with the exceptionthat the part I of the present structure is provided with longitudinalor vertical corrugations I l for strengthening purposes, and the edgesl2 of the lever are shortened to decrease the contact at this edgebetween the leverand thejaw 8.

The yoke, in the present invention, is preferably formed of a piece ofwire and is open instead of being a complete loop. It is provided withsubstantially parallel extremities or legs [3, and is shaped to receivethe flange l4 at the top of the back piece. The legs l3 form abutmentmeans and are adapted to occupy the comers formed at the junctures ofthe back piece and its apertured ears IS.

The movable jaw, in the present case, is also altered. It is providedwith a vertical slit I6 extending downwardly through the upper edge ofthe jaw into close proximity to its middle, and at each side of theslit, the jaw is provided with a vertically disposed corrugation ll. Theridges l8 (Fig. 5), formed by these corrugations, project toward theback plate I and abut against the legs 13 when the clasp is closed, soas to limit distortion of the jaw 8 and spreading of the upper endportion of the jaw. Of course, the slit l6 allows either one of thecorrugated portions of the jaw to give relatively to the other so as toprevent any strain or bending of the jaw.

In assembling this structure, the yoke I0 is first slipped over theflange i4 until the legs [3 occupy positions between the ears 15. Thenthe jaw 8 is. applied to the back piece by inserting the lugs 18a intothe opening I9 and causing the lateral ears 20 of the jaw to rest on theupper edges of the ears l5. Then the lever 9 is applied in such a manneras to cause its tongue 2| to enter the enlarged portion 22 of the slitof the jaw, and finally oppositely extending lugs 23 of the lever areinterlocked with the apertures 24 of the ears.

When the parts are thus assembled, and the lever 9 is swung in'acounter-clockwise direction (Fig. 2), its edges l2 will push the jaw 8into closed position until the parts assume the positions shown in Fig.3. If during closing movement, the jaw should encounter a solid objectwhich the teeth 25 cannot penetrate, the jaw will yield without becomingpermanently distorted, and later if the clasp is applied to a piece ofcloth or the like, the parts will function properly.

In Fig. 6, I have shown the upper end portion of the back piece I foldedover and bent downwardly about the yoke and jaw in the form of aprotecting apron 26.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be preferred embodimentsof the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understoodby those skilled in the art, the right is jaw and a swingable jawpivotally connected at their upper end portions and provided at theirlower end portions with means for clamping a garment to the clasp, and alever pivotally connected to the upper end portion or the stationary jawand engageable with the movable jaw :or moving that jaw toward thestationary jaw, the improvement comprising able jaw extending downwardlyfrom its upper edge to a position below its middle, projections on theupper portion of the movable jaw. arranged at opposite sides or saidslit and extending toward the stationary jaw, and abutment meanspositioned between said jaws and engageable by said projections to limitspreading of the upper portion of the movable jaw.

2. In a clasp of the type having a stationary jaw and a swingable jawpivotally connected at their upper end portions and provided at theirlower end portions with means for clamping a garment to the clasp, and alever pivotally connected to the upper end portion of the stationary jawand engageable with the movable jaw for moving thatv jaw toward thestationary jaw, the improvement comprising a slit in the movable jawextending from its upper edge to a position adjacent its middle,projections on the upper portion of the movable jaw arranged at oppositesides of the slit and extending toward the stationary jaw, and a loopsecured to the upper portion of the stationary jaw and provided withdepending legs arranged between the jaws and engaging said projectionsto limit spreading of the upper portion of the movable jaw.

3'. A clasp comprising a stationary jaw and a swingable jaw, meanspivotally connecting the a slit in the mov-' upper end portions of thejaws and constraining the movable jaw to swing about a fixed axis, meansat the lower send the jaws for clamping .a garment to the clasp, a leverarranged substantially parallel to asid jaws and havingits upper endpivotally connected to the upper end portion of the stationary jaw, theupper end portion oi. the lever being engageable with the swingable jawfor moving the latter toward and away from the stationary jaw, saidswingable jaw having a slit extending from its upper edge downwardlyinto close proximity to its middle, corrugations extending lengthwise oithe swingable jaw at opposite sides of the slit and projecting towardthe stationary jaw, and abutting means between the jaws engaged by thecorrugations for limiting spreading movement of the upper portion 01 theswingable jaw. e

4. A clasp comprising a stationary jaw and a swingable jaw, meanspivotally connecting the upper end portions of the jaws and constrainingthe movable jaw to swing about a fixed axis, means at the lower end ofthe jaws tor clamping a garment to the clasp, a lever arranged substantially parallel to said jaws and having its upper end pivotallyconnected to the upper end portion of the stationary jaw, the upper endportion 0! the lever being engageable with the swingable ja'w for movingthe latter toward and away from the stationary jaw, said swingable jawhaving a slit extending from its upper edge downwardly into closeproximity to its middle, corrugations extending lengthwise oi theswingable jaw at opposite sides or the slit and projecting toward thestationary jaw, and a yoke pivotally connected to the upper end portionoi the stationary jaw and having depending legs arranged between thejaws and bearing against the outer sides of said corrugations.

GABRIEL S. HAWIE.

